Everybody loves Italian food; this cuisine is considered as comfort food for some and, through the years, has been reinvented and refined.
In the American market, Italian food is a massive hit, with most of their specialty dishes like pizzas and kinds of pasta adjusted to suit the American palate.
However, there are those who are looking for authentic Italian restaurants that will make them feel like they're in Italy.
There are a lot of authentic Italian restaurants all over the country, and here are some of the best ones:
Bestia in Los Angeles, California
This Italian restaurant in Downtown LA has an industrial feel and has an ultra-hip modern style. The restaurant helped changed its neighborhood from a sketchy one to a top dining destination in the area thanks to its vibe, amazing patio, and incredible Italian food.
Bestia offers housemade charcuterie spread made by Chef Ori Menashe. The charcuterie adorns the pizza crusts that come out of the wood oven, while hand-cut pasta fills the plate with layers of flavor with everything from a Dungeness crab to Calabrian chili spaghetti rustichella and lamb pici al sugo di agnello on offer and ready to share.
You can start your meal with their roasted marrow bone, dip into pasta, and you can even go overboard with slow-roasted lamb neck with anchovy creme fraiche or a full grilled branzino.
Bottega in Birmingham, Alabama
Bottega looks like an ancient Roman structure with its stone exterior, arches, ornate staircases, lush marbles, and 17-foot-tall ceilings.
Once you've climbed the grand staircase to the mezzanine, you will find yourself at the confluence of Italy and Alabama. Like any other dining spot in the deep south, this is a place where the course is accompanied by a ceremony.
In Bottega, you can enjoy lobster and spaghetti in a spicy unison of flavors. You can also get grilled quail converges with pancetta and sweet potatoes. Or you can go heavy with lamb porterhouse with egg salad and Sicilian caponata and fried oysters.
Centrolina in Washington, DC
Owner and Chef Amy Brandwein have been in the business since 2015. Centrolina's open kitchen with wood oven gives customers a clear view of all the seasonally driven deliciousness being prepared inside.
You will find yourself digging into handmade pappardelle with chestnuts and white bolognese, or you may munch on tortelloni with roasted figs and pistachios.
If you want to take some home and cook, you can visit their retail market and bring home fresh kinds of pasta, homemade sauces, and other items imported from Italy.
City House in Nashville, Tennessee
Owner Tandy Wilson opened City House in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2007. He was prepared to create a game-changing Italian-Southern restaurant thanks to his family members who are still living in Italy, his upbringing in Nashville, and tutelage from Nashville chef Margot McCormack.
You can enjoy spaghetti squash with buttermilk cheddar and kale pesto or cornmeal-crusted catfish with eggplant caponata. You can also dig in to authentic Italian sausages with hot pickled turnips.
Coltivare in Houston, Texas
Coltivare was an instant hit when it first opened a few years ago behind Houston's popular Revival Market. The 3,000 square feet garden provided not only outdoor seating, but also a bevy of herbs and produced that are used throughout the restaurant's menu.
Coltivare's version of pepperoni pizza, topped with a handmade version courtesy of Revival, is the stuff of legend, as is their take on cacio e pepe.
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